Legal community divided as Justice Yahya Afridi prepares to take oath as Chief Justice of Pakistan

Justice Yahya Afridi is set to take oath as the new Chief Justice of Pakistan on Saturday, following the controversial 26th Amendment that allowed the government to bypass seniority in judicial appointments. This has led to divisions within the legal community. While the Supreme Court Bar Association and Sindh Bar Council support Afridi's appointment, other groups, including the Karachi Bar and Balochistan lawyers, oppose it and threaten protests in favor of Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, who was next in line before the amendment. The legal community is split, with some praising Afridi as a competent judge, while others criticize the amendments as undermining judicial independence. The situation reflects a broader discontent with recent constitutional changes and their implications for the judiciary.